Briefly: Middle East

LIBYA

Libyans flee siege in Gadhafi’s hometown

SIRTE — Families in pickup trucks stacked with mattresses and jugs of water fled Moammar Gadhafi’s hometown of Sirte Tuesday ahead of an expected new push by revolutionary forces to seize the city from die-hard loyalists of the fugitive leader.

Fleeing residents said they had been living under a state of siege, with Gadhafi forces preventing them from leaving while living conditions deteriorated and the city came under constant rocket fire and NATO bombardment.

Tripoli fell to Gadhafi opponents in late August after a six-month civil war with NATO airstrikes aiding the rebels - marking the collapse of Col. Gadhafi’s nearly 42-year rule.

While Libya’s new leaders have control over much of the country, they have been unable to rout Gadhafi loyalists from Sirte and two other major strongholds - the mountain enclave of Bani Walid and Sabha, deep in the southern desert.

WEST BANK

Israeli settlers accused of cutting trees, burning fields

RAMALLAH — Israeli settlers and Palestinian villagers threw stones at each other Tuesday, a day after Palestinian officials said settlers burned dozens of acres of agricultural land and cut down several hundred olive, fig and almond trees.

The latest friction came at a sensitive time, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas saying he is determined to seek U.N. recognition this week of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, areas Israel captured in 1967.

Israeli security forces fear the U.N. bid could spark violence in the West Bank.

Many settlers are adamantly opposed to Palestinian statehood, and some settler activists planned protest marches in three West Bank locations later Tuesday.

Mr. Abbas plans to seek U.N. membership for a Palestinian state after addressing the General Assembly on Friday. Israel and the U.S. are opposed.

Israel has prepared for the possibility of mass marches in the Palestinian territories in connection with the recognition bid.

But there have been few signs of enthusiasm in the West Bank. Students and civil servants are to be bused to rallies planned Wednesday in Ramallah, in an apparent attempt by authorities to ensure a high turnout.

SYRIA

Regime forces kill 2 in raid on Homs

NICOSIA, CYPRUS — Two civilians were killed Tuesday when Syrian security forces opened fire during a raid targeting anti-regime protesters in the central flash-point city of Homs, human rights activists said.

“Two civilians were killed in the Baba Amr neighborhood. Other residents were seriously hurt in Homs, where gunfire was heard from Monday night in many neighborhoods,” the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The security forces closed the entrances to the city, where huge anti-regime protests were staged on Monday.

The demonstrations were dedicated to Zainab Homsi, whose mutilated body was handed to her family by the authorities two days ago, according to the activists.

Elsewhere, a policeman was fatally shot by unknown attackers in the northwestern Jabal al-Zawiya region, where security forces have been conducting raids against dissidents, the Observatory said.

It also reported that according to residents, Kessoue near Damascus was cut off by the security forces on Tuesday.

YEMEN

Capital relatively calm after cease-fire

SANAA — Witnesses and security officials said the Yemeni capital was mostly calm after a cease-fire negotiated by the country’s vice president and several Western ambassadors took effect Tuesday afternoon.

The cease-fire went into force at 4 p.m. local time. The city has been calm since then, with only sporadic gunfire.

The cease-fire came on the third day of deadly violence between opponents of the Yemeni regime and forces loyal to its embattled president. At least 60 people have been killed, most of them protesters.

The truce was negotiated by Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and several foreign envoys, including the U.S. and British ambassadors in Sanaa, said the officials.